Origins Maskimizer Skin-Optimising Mask Primer Review

Origins Maskimizer Skin-Optimising Mask Primer Review

For beauty lovers, nothing screams low-effort indulgence like a facemask. Apply to clean skin, relax while it does its job and then rinse off – hello refreshed complexion! What if an extra prep-step before your facemask could boost its effects? Origins Maskimizer is a ‘skin-optimising mask primer’ that aims to do just this.

The Claims

By spraying this product over your face and gently patting it in, Origins claim that your skin will be hydrated, softened and better prepared to accept any mask you apply afterwards. This is the first facemask primer we’ve come across and so we’re excited to look at the ingredients!

Science behind the Bottle

Red Algae Extract

This primer contains extracts from Gelidiela acerosa, a type of red algae. Algae has become an increasingly popular addition to skincare recently, having been linked to anti-ageing processes, skin-brightening and increasing moisturisation. While we couldn’t find any evidence relating specifically to Gelidiela algae, other red algaes are known to produce sugars and minerals that moisturise and smooth the skin by behaving as emollients. This emollient property could improve the skin’s texture to make it easier for a facemask to be applied.

Glycerin

If a product promises hydration, this is an ingredient we hope to see. Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it tightly binds any water molecules that it comes in contact with, either from the air or deeper layers of the skin. Increasing the moisture levels at the skin’s surface essentially plumps out any fine lines, leaving skin looking and feeling smoother – this fulfils the product’s claim!

Green Tea Extract (Camellia sinensis)

Green tea is more than just a refreshing, healthy drink. When applied to the skin, antioxidants in this extract can banish the damaging free radicals that have been linked to premature ageing. Research has also linked green tea to improving the hydration and microrelief of the skin, leaving it feeling smoother and more moisturised. This is evidence that supports the product’s claim of softening the skin ahead of facemask application, but we doubt that this would make a difference to the skin’s ability to ‘accept’ the mask or boost its effects!

The Verdict While the claims of hydration and softening did stand up to our scientific scrutiny, we’re a little wary of the claim to ‘prepare our skin to better accept the mask’ as we haven’t seen any evidence to suggest that Maskimizer would be able to do so. We Geeks would be more likely to use this product as a hydrating face mist rather than as a pre-facemask primer and as such, we haven’t been persuaded to invest just yet! Obviously, Maskimizer won’t do any harm to our skin, but the Geeks think it may just be another unnecessary step in our skincare routines.